Tools needed and resources required for guitar building

[tomjackson]

Okay so I'm I'm currently building a workshop in my garden, single skin brick on a 3500 x 2500 slab foundation.  It will have a nice UPVC door in window that I have aquired recently, power, heat and lighting.

So, while I'm completing it I need to start thinking about what I'm going to do in my Man Hut otherse I'll end up putting a punchbag in there or doing something daft like yoga.

So to get me started on the road to building solid body guitars (probably just Teles actually) I'm wandering what basic tools I will need and what resources there are.  Where can I get cheap body blanks to hack to bits etc

I had a look on stewmac but there are loads of tools that would cost a fortune, the choice is bewildering!

I hasten to add they will be for my own amusement only!

[FernandoDuarte]

Highly recomend:
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907

Thinks to buy woods cheap?
In England I only know http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/ , but I'm not sure if it's cheap or expensive...
In USA there is www.galleryhardwoods.com , that is amazing, but not exactly cheap...

For tools there is also LMII...

[Nadz1lla]

Ebay is good for body blanks, got myself a really nice piece of mahogany a while back for £26.

I have since messed up the neck pocket and not sure if I can rectify the situation, so it's back to the drawing board and a new piece of wood when I can afford it, heh.

[tomjackson]

Ebay is good for body blanks, got myself a really nice piece of mahogany a while back for £26.

I have since messed up the neck pocket and not sure if I can rectify the situation, so it's back to the drawing board and a new piece of wood when I can afford it, heh.

Did you use a router for the neck pocket?

I'm thinking of starting off with any wood I can find for the body, an old table top or something so it doesn't matter If I mess it up.  The missus might query why there is a Telecaster shape hole in our dining room table though.....

[WezV]

buy the bible:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0953104907/ref=s9_simz_gw_s1_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1XYGZ61C5ZDJ797N5E6X&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

read it a few times. 

dont get sucked in by the stew-mac catalogue - you will not need most of it... not yet anyway!

watch some videos, maybe starting with this one; (not sayin its perfect method at all times but its a good start)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB6l-bssWzc

join this forum and ask questiosn when you are stuck:

http://simnettguitars.co.uk/forum/

Nadz - what went wrong with the neck pocket, there is usually a way to fix these things.  Part of learning to build guitars is learning to fix the mistakes you will make along the way!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Drill press, bandsaw, router, belt sander, dremel, eletric drill

Stuff from here : http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies.html

This video - although old and a bit crude is an excellant guide to Fender type guitar making

I am a bit of a stewmac junkie but they do good stuff - I recommend their catalogue, but chose what you really need carefully

My needs grew the more work I did and I dont regret 95% of what I have bought - the other 5% is just stuff that I don't get to use much as certain jobs dont come in that often  or a few certain tools that I found better options rather than using